Early Oscar buzz

Early Oscar buzz

Best Picture

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button At over two and a half hours, it may be the longest top contender of the year. But judging from the knockout trailer, we’re in for a sumptuous treat.

Doubt Buoyed by four phenomenal performances (from two past winners, one past nominee, and one soon-to-be nominee), the adaptation of John Patrick Shanley’s Pulitzer Prize-winning play will get people talking…and most likely voting.

Frost/Nixon If nitpickers let some of its historical fabrications slide, they’ll find this political tale (originally a Broadway hit) as riveting as the groundbreaking series of interviews it details.

Frank Langella, Frost/Nixon The Oscar is the only major award the 70-year-old hasn’t been nominated for in his decades-long career. An astonishingly lived-in performance as our 37th president will change that.

Sean Penn, Milk He doesn’t often play real people. But the Oscar winner’s turn as Harvey Milk has some of the slain San Francisco activist’s closest friends seeing double.

Mickey Rourke, The Wrestler As a has-been Hulk Hogan type struggling both in and out of the ring, the ’80s heartthrob turns in an unexpectedly emotional performance.